Chapter 2

I had no idea why my body became still like a rushing stream suddenly flowing peacefully.

"I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn't be in here Ashton."

When he nuzzled his head in the crook of my neck, my legs suddenly felt like jelly. My words trailed off too.

"You're so beautiful. Those eyes of yours haunt me. I can't get over how beautiful you are."

His words were terribly slurred but I could make out that bit.

"Ashton, you're..." I trialled off. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around what was going on. Ashton Hall, the school's coolest jock, the guy who every girl would give anything for, the king of the school, was with me and he wasn't hating on me. He was actually... desiring me?

"Sofia... Why are you so beautiful?"

He knew my name?

I had no answer for him. None. He was calling me beautiful. Me... who he had never acknowledged publicly before. Tears clouded my eyes again. For the first time in my life, I wasn't the 'ugly duckling'... And to the person that mattered too.

"Can I kiss you?"

My pupils dilated from a sensation I had only read in books as I nodded slowly.

A simple kiss turned into two. And before I could comprehend what was happening, I gave him what I had never given anyone—myself.

*

I woke up with temporary amnesia. I felt around for my glasses but all I felt were foreign, expensive sheets.

Where was I?

Hazily but surely, my memory pieced itself back together.

No! No! No!!

No way had I just lost my virginity to the Ashton Hall!

Tears of confusion blinded my eyes as I jumped to my feet, searching for my clothes. I couldn't even bother to look at myself. My stretch marks and cellulites were irritating enough... yet Ashton had made them feel special.

Speaking of Ashton, the bathroom faucet poured water continuously. He must be there.

What must be running through his mind right now? Should I even care to know?

After managing to shrug on what was left of my clothes, I tiptoed to the door with my heart pounding against my chest.

It didn't help that I still didn't have my glasses—I walked right into the couch!

"Ugh!"

"Awake, I see. Good."

Ashton's voice stopped me in my tracks. The warmth and passion in his voice from last night was gone. Now, it was cold as ice. I shut my eyes tight, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall.

"Y-You don't have to worry about last night. I shouldn't have wandered into your room," I blabbered, clueless of what else to say. My cheeks reddened as I remembered last night. Perhaps, a compliment wouldn't hurt. "And I-I h-had a—"

"Last night did not happen!"

I spun around to face him and there it was again—the disgust, irritation and utter degradation in his eyes. He hated last night... with me. I wasn't good enough for him.

My tears rolled down my cheeks without permission. "Ash-Ashton... B-But I—"

His eyes grew impossibly colder as he stormed towards me so aggressively that I feared his towel would fall.

Grabbing me by the arm, he repeated, "Last night did not happen. Whatever you think happened last night as all in your imagination. I would never EVER be caught dead sleeping with a loser like yourself. If I hear about this from anyone, you WILL regret this. Got it?"

"Y-Yes Ashton," I sobbed. All of my life's disappointment and pain summed into this very moment as I felt the walls close in on me. This was the very height of rejection I had ever felt.

His eyes flickered with something unreadable—was it guilt? No. I was probably imagining it.

"Good. Now get out of my room!" He stormed into the closet with that, leaving me to wallow in my misery.

"But who would even believe it... the school's golden boy slept with the nerd. It's a bit of a stretch." I mumbled to myself, wiping my tears.

I would never be Ashton's type. He didn't do losers.

I wiped the unending tears with the back of my palms as I pulled what was left of my dignity and blindly left the mansion.

*

School was always the same for me. Head to school, get bullied, learn what I had already read about, head back home, repeat. Sometimes, I was lucky to be in the shadows and away from the reach of my sister's bullying.

But today was different. The air seemed to whisper my name as I walked into the hallways, my books pressed to my chest. I kept my head down as usual but still, I could feel the stares of everyone on me even though I walked along the sides of the hallways.

Did that know what happened? Had they heard?

Since last Friday night, I had felt a sense of gloom. Nothing interested me anymore—not even the countless books I carefully picked out to read. Ashton's rejection had hit me like a ton of bricks.

Erica was not sorry. She hadn't apologised and she even went on to tell our parents that I went partying which was why I returned home late, making them ground me. Not like I cared anyway.

I was about to successfully make it past the hallway but a loud whisper caught my attention.

"Isn't she the whore that threw herself at Ashton and slept with him?"

My heart skipped a beat. My books dropped to the ground on their own their own accord and my palms suddenly felt sweaty.

How did it get out?

I bent to pick it when I was suddenly surrounded by an army of students who kept throwing snide comments and remarks.

"Such a shameless whore!"

"And she keeps pretending to be chaste in her stupid baggy outfits."

"How did Ashton even make it past her fat!"

There was silence suddenly as Erica and her minions catwalked into the crowd.

"So... We finally have the whoring duckling to tell us the whole story," she announced. I could sense the pain in her voice. "How was it like sleeping with my boyfriend, Sofia?"

I shrunk back from the intensity of her accusations. "I-I I didn't s-sleep with him. I don't know what you're talking about."

She took a step in my direction, her eyes blazing with anger. "You lying, two-timing b**ch!" Her palms connected with my cheek sharply and the sound of the slap echoed. "How dare you? Why did you seduce him?"

Tears spring up in my eyes again at her humiliation. "I didn't. I would never—"

"Hey!" A loud voice cut in.

It was Ashton again, walking to the center of the commotion.

My heart skipped a beat at the neutral expression on his face.

'What now?'